Industry News

FALLING ROCK OWNER "FEELING LESS LOVE" FROM BREWERY TAPROOMS.

If you read CBD, you know of Chris Black's fallout with Oskar Blues [see CBD 05-25-2016]. After a two-decade relationship, the Colorado retailer blacklisted OB last summer after the brewer announced a new music venue/beer hall in downtown Denver.

Chris recounted that scenario for the NBWA audience, and why he has a problem with some taprooms. He said he's "always been an advocate of brewers having a taproom at their production facility," for the "touchpoint," marketing aspect. "But I'm having trouble with satellite taprooms," he said, which feels like a "naked retail grab."

Where brewers used to have pretty limited retail hours, they've "gotten addicted to the crack that is the retail dollars," and extended those hours.

"That's starting to bother me," says Chris. "Frankly, a lot of them are setting up bars." He also finds it unfair that, for example, in a state like Montana, where a liquor license will cost up to $1 million, "you can open up a brewery next week" with a taproom.